R E L A X

The first session is "information gathering" ususally. I don't see any therapist worth their salt just "diving in" blind. You'll get asked a lot of questions about you mental health history, your physical history, whether you're married, if you have children, your work situation, etc. All of this is necessary for Axis I, II, and III diagnoses. Don't let it overwhelm you.

Remember too, that YOU are allowed to ask questions. Think of this as an interview process. You are deciding whether you want to hire this person to serve you. . .therapy is a service industry. . .similar to waitressing and cooking believe it or not. You are deciding whether you want what is on the menu, how you want it prepared, and who gets to serve it up to you. Make a list of questions to take with you and don't be afraid to ask.

Examples:
How long have you been practicing? How much experience do you have dealing with "x, y or z" syndromes/disorders. What specific forms of therapy do you engage in? Cognitive? CBT? Regressive? Etc. How do you feel about self injury? What is your view about it?

Write down what is important for YOU to know the answers to. Don't ask questions like, "How quickly can you fix me" or "How do I stop SI'ing" because those are questions that actually require therapy, you know?

If you think of it as an interview, you'll come up with some good ones. Don't be afraid to ask. . .good therapists EXPECT their clients (NOT patients) to be proactive in their care.